Category: Color

#19 Beware the wandering pet and it’s tail and the disappearing appendages (yours and theirs)

There are few things more distracting than people or pets or their tails

Close the door, or as Felicity Kay does, have peanut butter ready to calm the dog.

Talking with your hands is great, expressive and engaging, EXCEPT when your arm or parts of it disappear or distort into your virtual background Avoid stretching motions, we are seldom aware of how much we talk with our hands or how much we actually fidget when we are on a call…

And make sure not to lean too far back and have your head disappear into your background.

While it is amusing to see someone’s arms (or head) disappear and reappear it is somewhat distracting…

Sitting in front of a screen is distracting enough as it is!

#20 Use the blur function from your zoom video settings

And as always, unless your purpose is to entertain, you want to as few distractions as possible.

It makes you stand out more on your screen, there is also a touch up your appearance feature which is quite frankly brilliant

Beware the virtual background!

#16 Invest in green screen!

Or make sure you have a needed system requirements to have a clear virtual background on zoom.

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360043484511

There is nothing more distracting than a wavering background.

#17 Make sure you are not wearing green screen, green or blue screen blue

Or you will be wearing your background, which is an interesting effect, but I’m not sure it’s one your going for!

I was on a zoom call with someone wearing a green hat, with a night sky virtual background, well I only found out afterwards it was a green hat, that is…..

#18 have enough contrast between you and your background

Or you will blend and look like a talking head, this goes for real backgrounds as well, see previous post

If you are blond go for a darker background and if you are a brunet a lighter background will make you pop more. You want a crisp outline around your head so that it doesn’t look “fuzzy”!

What do you consider a good person?

It seems like such a timely question going into the Jewish New Year.

That was the questions that was asked during the breakout rooms at Jeff Pulver’s weekly networking Zula this past Thursday, at least those rooms I had the honor of hosting…

and these where the responses in the order they were received:
Creative
Honest
Forward thinking
Thinkers
listeners
Thoughtful
Generous
Kind
Self-aware
Balanced
Ethical
Empathetic
Philanthropic with their time (not just their money)
Straight forward
Candid
Self care
Integrity

Self-honest about overcoming their own perceived fears
Compassionate
Forgiving

What do you think makes a good person?

Shanah Tova
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

How’s your background?

Is it neat? Cluttered? Busy?

We are all working from home these days so we all understand if your background is not an typical office…BUT

# 14 Don’t Clash with your background

If your background is busy, keep your clothing neutral and simple.

In colors that flatter your skin tone (more on skin tone in later tips)

You want your audience focused on you and what you are saying, make yourself the focus of the screen.

# 15 Don’t Blend with your background

and the converse, for example, if your background is Jerusalem stone, don’t wear creams and pale yellows.

(if I had my druthers I wouldn’t put anyone in yellow, but that’s just me)

except this woman

Certain colors just wash you out and when you blend with your background you become a disembodied head, and that is just distracting and hard to listen to.

Which is kind of, counter productive.

So how do you nail your first impression on line?

How do you show up looking fabulous, feeling confident and rocking your first impression?

It’s about eliminating distractions so people can hear your message and get the value you have to offer

# 12 Stripes are evil

Thin horizontal stripes cause a moire effect, a buzzing on the moniter, which is extraordinarily distracting.

Vertical stripes will cut across your frame and make the limited amount of space you have in your frame look truncated

# 13 Mind your neckline

A crew neck will cut you off at the base of you neck.

A slight v-neck or the illusion of a v are not only more flattering but draw the eye down and in creating a cleaner leaner line.

A button down shirt should either have the top one or two buttons unbuttoned or but on an interesting tie, the knot will form that illusion of a v-neck.

If you must wear something close to the neck, add a scarf or a drop necklace which will add to the illusion!

To get your 30 tips cheat sheet drop you email in the comments

The importance of a good first impression on the small screen

Framing is everything. Think of looking in the mirror. Don’t you want a more complete picture?

#9 Have your camera at eye level or even higher.

It makes your face look thinner, hides a double chin (for those of us that have them) and is a more flattering look.

Put your laptop on a pile of books if you have to.

Think of all those people taking selfies, holding their phones up, they know what they’re doing!

# 10 Center yourself on the frame.

Think of a good portrait.

Center yourself so that we can see at least a bit below your shoulders, no one wants to see just a head and neck, it’s disconcerting.

# 11 Lighting, lighting, lighting.

I can’t emphasize it enough, we want to see your face!

The ideal is if you have a window behind your computer, nothing flatters more that direct light.

If that is not possible put a light behind your computer, it doesn’t need to be fancy, a desk light will do the trick.

Your computer camera will automatically focus on the brightest spot in the room if you have a window behind you, your face will be in shadow, pull down the shade or move so that we can all see your beautiful face.

Drop me a line if you want the cheat sheet with all 30 tips!

Have some fun, think outside the box. If you keep it in the same color families or black and white you have a lot more leeway to play with pattern.

Of course, you need the gumption to wear it.

Now this can’t be done with “loud” colors, at least not for business, unless it’s yours ;-).

But you can dip you toe in, slowly at first and have some fun!

The easiest way to get started is think big pattern with small pattern, both in the same color way. Like this guy.

Wear it with aplomb it will make you look and feel more confident.

And confidence is the name of the game.

For help in how to make it so, drop me a line.

Simple rounded silhouettes will always pique curiosity, especially in neutral, natural colors.

These shapes and colors calm the mind and ignite the soul. Creating a need to know more.

Invoking nature and peace. There is a quiet confidence that comes with wearing these colors and shapes, that draws people in, and makes them want to get to know you, someone who is comfortable enough in their own skin to wear what feels comfortable even if it’s not strictly conventional.

You make it work, with quiet elegance, grace and of course style!

It comes across as confident, without the trying too hard.

What makes you feel that way?

What you wear under your clothes is as important, if not more so as what people see.

Good undergarments make your clothes lie better, enhance the line and fit of a pair of trousers or skirt and make everything sit wear it should.

It can make you feel powerful, like you know something no one else does.

It can remind you to stand up straighter and take pride in who you are and what you represent.

A friend of mine, a presentation coach, has her favorite pair of knickers that she wears when she wants to land a client.

It can be a source of amusement…”He always asked where was Sunday, I told they didn’t make Sunday, you know, because of God”….

No one but you know what’s under your clothes and how it makes you feel.

Athletes have been known to not only have but, actually lend their lucky underwear to fellow players

https://www.sbnation.com/ad/17261916/athletes-lucky-underwear-performance-superstition

Underwear fashions come and go, but comfort and fit are key to a nice clean line and a finished, polished look.

So you’re tired of black and white, and you want (dare I say need) to wear color.

The easiest, way to do so and still look professional and elegant is to go monochromatic. It can be shades of cream or camel, or you can go with shades of green or blue or mustard or, or, or …the possibilities are endless.

The question remains how do you know if all these shades work together? That you aren’t mixing warm and cool shades, that just look off when next to each other?

My favorite tip is go to a paint store and find a paint chip in your favorite color and take that shopping with you! Paint chips have 4. 5, 6 or even 7 shades of the same color, with the same degree of warmth just lighter or darker along that same scale.

Pick 3 of those colors, and you’re dressed! You can wear the medium shade on top, the lighter shade on bottom and the darkest as a jacket, or tie, or scarf. Or wear a suit in the and of the shades and go a shade lighter or darker with the shirt. The possibilities are endless. And the result is to die for.

Not sure, drop me a line.